The tech giant is preparing to expand its wearable lineup with a device that trades outward-facing cameras for six onboard microphones and speakers, according to a report from The Information. Citing people familiar with the matter, the reporting notes that the camera-less model, internally dubbed Luna
, could be officially unveiled as soon as Meta Connect, the company’s annual hardware and developer conference scheduled for September 23-24 in Menlo Park.
While Meta currently sells a popular variety of camera-equipped smart glasses in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the devices have encountered severe global scrutiny. Critics and privacy advocates have repeatedly slammed the tech company over the glasses’ ability to record video and capture photos discreetly, leading some critics to label the products creep glasses
and pervert glasses
as users utilize the covert tech to record unsuspecting members of the public.
Cracking Down on DIY Modifications and Harassment on Instagram
Before the reported development of a camera-less alternative, the privacy backlash intensified as users and small businesses posted tutorials showing how to physically drill out or modify the white capture LED located on the front frame of Meta Glasses. That white indicator light is designed to signal when the glasses are recording photos or video. Once removed, bystanders had no visual cue that they were being captured on camera.
Meta responded with a strict digital campaign, issuing cease and desist letters to individuals modifying the hardware, as spokesperson Dina El-Kassaby told USA TODAY. The company subsequently rolled out a mandatory firmware update designed to disable the camera if the LED is physically tampered with or destroyed. In addition, Meta updated its safeguards so that users can no longer obscure the capture LED after recording has already begun.
“We made Meta Glasses to be noticed. Before the styles and colors, we designed the light. It signals when the glasses are capturing photos and videos. No light, no capture.”
Meta social media video, via USA TODAY
Content creators capitalizing on covert point-of-view videos also faced platform enforcement. According to Business Insider reporting cited by TechRepublic, Instagram began removing harassing videos recorded with Meta’s smart glasses and set a precedent by removing the accounts of two creators who each had over a million followers.
Courthouse Bans and Legal Battles Mount Over Wearable Surveillance
The fallout from undetected recording capabilities extended directly into judicial facilities and courtrooms. His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which oversees courts in England and Wales, announced that Meta glasses would be confiscated from individuals entering its judicial buildings, joining New York state, which also banned the wearable devices in courthouses, as noted by Mediapost and TechRepublic.
Furthermore, Meta and EssilorLuxottica face a class-action lawsuit alleging that both companies captured, stored, and transmitted users’ private audiovisual data through the companies’ AI-enabled ‘Meta AI Glasses’ without disclosure or owners’ consent
, according to legal filings highlighted by Mediapost. Additional scrutiny followed an investigative report by Wired that prompted Meta to delete a NameTag
facial recognition feature from the Meta AI app.
Inside the Codenamed Luna Smart Glasses Design
If the reported hardware plans proceed to a fall launch, the Luna model represents a clear pivot by Meta’s Reality Labs to capture a distinct segment of consumers who want wearable AI assistant access without the baggage of outward-facing lenses.
The camera-less glasses are slated to arrive in two styles named Clubmaster
and Burbank
. Instead of optical recording sensors, the frames incorporate six built-in microphones enabling users to communicate directly with Meta AI and its consumer AI agent, Muse. A quick-action button on the side of the temple arms activates the AI system, while the removal of camera hardware allows for slimmer frame designs closer to traditional non-AI eyewear.
Industry Rivals Weigh Privacy and Delay Competitive Timelines
As Meta navigates regulatory pressure and public pushback, competitors are recalibrating their own wearable strategies.
Whether offering a camera-less model will appease critics who view facial-mounted cameras as an inherent surveillance threat remains to be seen, especially as Reality Labs continues absorbing heavy financial losses in its hardware division.
